Chute and an indicia bearing ball for indexing and readout therein



Aug. 4, 1970 J. sosco 3,522,946

I GHUTE AND AN INDICIA BEARING BALL FOR INDEXING AND READOUT THEREINOriginal Filed July 18, 1966 IINVENTOR.

States Patent ()fi i 3,522,946 Patented Aug. 4, 1970 3,522,946 CHUTE ANDAN INDICIA BEARING BALL FOR INDEXING AND READOUT TIEREIN Joseph Bosco,31 Summer St., Everett, Mass. 02149 Original application July 18, 1966,Ser. No. 566,188, now Patent No. 3,464,698, dated Sept. 2, 1969. Dividedand this application June 18, 1968, Ser. No. 737,908 Int. Cl. A63f 1/18US. Cl. 273-138 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hollow sphericalbody having a plurality of convex, dome-shaped indicia bearing membersupon its outer surface used in combination with a chute to form a chancereadout device. The chute has an entry opening for receiving the body.Indexing elements in the chute position the body with one dome-shapedmember positioned in front of a readout window consisting of a movablemagnifying lens having a detent centered thereon, which when moved,depresses the facing dome-shaped member by means of the detent so as tocause the dome-shaped member to be depressed into the spherical body. Alight in the chute illuminates the body and a hinged door at the bottomof the chute cooperates with the movable magnifying lens to permitdischarge of the indexed body from the chute.

The present invention, a division of copending application Ser. No.566,188, now Pat. No. 3,464,698, relates to a numbers game, and moreparticularly it relates to a means of rolling upon an inclined chute aspherical ballshaped hollow member which upon its outer surface carriesa plurality of convex dome-shaped protrusions which are imprinted with aseries of signs or numerals.

More particularly this invention relates to the games called bingo,lotto, blitz and beano, and more particularly to the manner of playingthe same. Generally the rules of the game provide that each player isgiven a card upon which the numbers from 1 to 75 are imprinted invarious combinations, in a checked pattern and in such a manner as toprovide five numbers running in horizontal rows, and five numbersrunning in vertical rows, a total of 25 numbers. As the game progressessthe caller draws marked disks from a bag or a box with each disk markedwith a single number (from 1 to 75). As the numbers are read by thecaller, the players cover the numbers called upon their cards with aplastic or a paper disk.

While the present invention utilizes the same general rules andprinciples of the games already in vogue, how ever it will dispense withthe numbered disks and the callers chart and in its place willsubstitute the ballshaped member above mentioned. In the latter case thenumbers of the callers chart are imprinted upon the dome-shapedprotrusions on the ball. The ball of the pres ent invention may benick-named Bingo-Ball or may be given any other popular name. The ballis rolled down an inclined plane or a chute until it comes to a stop.The number that shows on the ball facing the playing public is thewinning number.

The numbers on the ball must be sulficiently large to permit visualobservation by the caller and the playing public. Each dome-shapedprotrusion in the ball prior to the start of each new game exposes onesingle number (from the group of numbers 1 to Referring to the ballitself, the latter may be formed of two separate semispherical sections,each section having a larger threaded flange. However, other methods offastening the two semispherical sections also may be provided. Duringthe play, by means of a device to be described later or by means of theoperators finger, each number called upon the dome shaped ball will bedepressed. To reset the depression, the two semi-spherical members willbe taken apart and the depressed dome-shaped member will be returned toits original convex position. To call or to draw the numbers upon theball the operator will roll the latter down an inclined surface or aninclined chute. The chute at its lowermost end (bottom) would beprovided with a recessed area where the ball will come to a stopadjoining a window with a lense which will enlarge the number upon theball (one number at a time).

Where the ball comes to rest will be provided a recessed opening whereinthe corresponding numbered protrusion in the ball will anchor itself forthe purpose of indexing.

Furthermore, in the window where the ball comes to rest, there may be ahandle or a swinging plate which will support a convex lense or amagnifying glass. The plate or the lense will be swung in an arcdownwardly and against the circumference of the indexed ball. In thisaction one single number upon the surface of the ball will be showingthrough the lense at one time. The plate or the lense has a detent inthe center. Further movement of the plate or the lense by said handlewill depress the protrusion or the convex member upon the surface'of theball in a direction inwardly within the ball to help register the numberwhich has been indexed.

With the game in progress, after having depressed several dome-shapedprotrusions certain areas in the ball will become more sparsely coveredwith un-depressed protrusions. Then the likelihood that a number willalways register in the center of the window will become rarer. Toalleviate this condition a plurality of openings will be providedinstead of one in the center. These holes will be contained in two orthree co-centric circles upon the lense or the window. In this manner ifa number does not concide with the hole in the center then the nearestnumber showing through an adjacent hole Will be called. Not to providethe additional openings will require many throws of the ball into theinclined chute before a number hits dead center in the central hole inthe lense to delay the progress of the game.

Accordingly one object of the present invention is to provide aninclined chute for rolling an indexed ball and means for arresting themovement of the ball for indexing purposes.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an inclinedchute to roll a ball-shaped body which upon its outer circumference isbeset with a plurality of domeshaped arcuate members having numbersimprinted thereon. And a stop to arrest the movement of said body whenit reaches the bottom of the chute.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a means forpassing a light beam through the transparent ball for indexing purposes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a convex lense insaid chute to magnify the numbers which are imprinted upon the outercircumference of said ball.

Another object of the present invention is to provide in said lensemeans for depressing the dome-shaped protrusions in said ball toregister the numbers called.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an inclinedsurface on which the ball may roll and a stop in the bottom of saidsurface to bring the ball to a stop for indexing purposes.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction,and the combination of parts, to be hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically pointed outin the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, references will be made to theaccompanying drawings, where like character numerals denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views in which:

FIG. 1 is a section through the device showing the embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the magnifying lense;

FIG. 3 is a section through the dome-shaped ball showing one of thedome-shaped members depressed.

It is understood that the present form of disclosure is merely for thepurpose of illustration, and that there might be various modificationsthereof, without departing from the spirit of the invention as hereinset forth.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the device, made inaccordance with the present invention, best seen in FIG. 1, comprises,in combination the inclined chute 21 preferably made of a circularcross-section. At its upper end 22 the chute 21 has a circular (orrectangular) opening 23, and at its lower end the chute 21 has acircular base 24. The latter by means of the hinge 25 is hingeablysupported to the chute 21. A spring (not shown) may be provided to holdthe base 24 in the position substantially as shown in FIG. 1.

The chute 21, in its front end 26, may be provided with an opening(circular or elongated). A bracketed member 28 may be secured in theupper section of the wall of the chute 21 and directly over the opening.Also a flanged member 29 by means of the pin 30 may be hingeably held bythe bracket 28. It can be seen that a lense 31 (of substantialproportions) may be supported within the flanged member 29. Furthermore,a manually operable handle 32 may be mounted to the flange 29 by meansof the mounting member 33. The operation upon the handle 32 (in thedirection shown by the arrow A) will hinge the lense 31 in its mounting29 (in the direction shown by the arrow B). A finger or a detent 34 maybe held to the lense 31 in the center section thereof (substantially asindicated in FIG. 1). The operation of the detent 31 will be describedin detail later.

From FIG. 1, it may be discerned that in the rear of the lense 31, andbehind the chute 21, there is provided an opening 35 into which ismounted a housing 36 for the purpose of supporting the electric bulb 37in its socket 38, substantially as shown. By means of an electric cordand switch (not shown) the light 37 may be turned on and off as desired.

Further reference being made to the device, it can be seen from FIG. 1that a spherical body 40 may be contained within the chute 21substantially as shown. The body 40 fits snugly within the chute 21 andmay be conveniently rolled down the chute through the opening 23. As theball tumbles to the bottom of the chute, it reaches the base 24 in apell-mell fashion. However its further descent is arrested by the base24. The hinging base 24 may be provided shelve member G. The latter isformed with a number of concave grooves or recessess so shaped as toreceive the dome-shaped convex members 39. The member G serves as anindexing device and will permit the ball 40 to align itself centrally inrespect to the lense window 31 and the finger detent 34, substantiallyas indicated in FIG. 1.

The spherical-body 4% may be provided upon its outer surface with aplurality of dome-shaped arcuate members 39 in number). It can bediscerned that the spherical body 40 may be formed of a pair ofidentical semispherical shells 41 and 42, respectively, joined to oneanother at their margins 43 and 43a, by means of the large circular ringor flange 44. However, a joining ring may not be necessary and theshells may be joined instead to one another directly (pasted). Forinstance, one side of the ring 44 may be pasted to one shell 41, whilethe other shell 42 at 46 may be provided with an outer thread. By meansof the pair of threads the semispherical shells may be joined to oneanother so that the shell 41 is joined to the shell 42 to form a fullsphere or the ball 40. In similar fashion one shell may be provided atits margin with an outer (male thread) while the opposite shell may havean inner (female thread). The shells 41 and 42 may then be joined to oneanother by threading the male thread into the female thread (not shown).

In FIG. 3 the ball 40 is shown in greater detail to disclose itsconstruction and mode of operation. It can be discerned that each shell41 and 42 of the ball 40 is provided with dome-shaped extrusions 39 (75in number) spread around the outer circumference of the ball or thesphere 40. The operator inserts the sphere 40 into the chute 21 severaltimes during the course of the game and the game proceeds until a winneris announced. The game thus ends. Subsequently the called numbers arecarefully checked with the depressed surfaces upon the Bingo Ball. Thenthe winner is given the prize. Now the game is ready to proceed again.Prior to this the depressed surfaces must be returned to their originalposition. To this effect the shells are separated from one another andby means of the finger the operator (or the caller) returns thedepressed dome-shaped surfaces to their original position. Then theshells 41 and 42 are joined again to one another to form the originalsphere 40. Subsequently the sphere 40 is rolled into the chute 21, tostart a new game.

A careful examination of the foregoing description in conjunction withthe present invention as illustrated in the drawings, will enable thereader to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the allegedfeatures of merit and novelty, sufficient to clarify the construction ofthe invention as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size and materials, and rearrangement of parts,may be resorted to in actual practice, as long as no departure is madefrom the invention claimed.

Having described my invention in detail, what I claim as new and novelis the following:

1. A chance readout device comprising a hollow spherical body having aplurality of convex, dome-shaped indicia bearing members upon its outersurface; a chute having entry means for receiving said spherical body;means in said chute cooperating with said domed shaped members forindexing said body relative to readout means; and means for operativelyassociating said readout means with a dome-shaped member when said bodyis indexed.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said readout means includes amagnifying viewing lens.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said lens includes a detent mountedsubstantially in the center thereof and extending toward said body whenthe readout means is operatively associated with the said dome-shapedmember to depress the dome-shaped member indicated thereby.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said body is transparent; and lightmeans mounted on said chute to illuminate the indicia on the dome-shapedmembers when the body is in its indexed position.

5. The device of claim 1 further including a hinged base means mountedon the lower portion of said chute cooperating with the readout means toaid in the removal of said body from said chute.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the means for op eratively associatingsaid readout means with said chute and said hinged base means ismanually operable by 906,932 handle means. 2,031,240 References Cited2,362,064

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,521,703

563,170 6/1896 Haley et a1. 700,589 5/1902 Webb 273-139 858,666 7/ 1907Myer.

6 Riblet a 273-213 X Van Deest. Giesinger. Emmit.

5 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner A. W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiner

